1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to card games as well as teaching and learning aids and tools, and more particularly to a mathematical operation learning and practice card game that it interesting and entertaining to both children and adults.
2. Preliminary Discussion and Discussion of Prior Art
A wide variety of resources and materials are available for teaching foundation or basic skills such as reading, writing, arithmetic, and the like, particularly for use by children and young students. Rather than taking the form of drills or lessons, which are likely to become tiresome and therefore after a short time will be objected to by a child, some of these resources and materials are provided in the form of a game or other activity that is not only entertaining but also teaches the particular lesson involved. Examples of games having an educational and teaching theme include card games, board games, video games, and other game scenarios and activities. The following references are exemplary of these efforts, particularly with respect to mathematical teaching games including cards.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,171 issued to H. Hata on Sep. 7, 1993, entitled “Game Cards for Playing a Game and for Learning Arithmetic”, discloses an arithmetic teaching game wherein in a basic embodiment a set of forty-five game cards of two different card types is provided. The first type comprises 18 cards having one of the numbers 1 to 9 each indicated on two of such cards, and the second type comprises 27 cards having one of the numbers 10 to 81 thereon, which numbers are the answers to the multiplication table from 1×1 to 9×9. The cards also have printed thereon the divisors or prime numbers of such number, and pictorial designations may be provided on cards with numbers that are multiples of 2, 3, 5, and/or 7 to aid young children in understanding the cards. Various games using such cards are proposed. In one game, the cards with 1 to 9 are placed in a pile and the cards with 10 to 81 are dealt to the players. The dealer exposes two cards, and any player can discard a card bearing the answer to the number if the two cards are multiplied. Then one of the exposed cards is discarded, and another is selected. The players can then discard a card bearing the multiplication answer if the numbers on the two new cards are multiplied, and so on, with the winner being the first player to discard all of his/her cards. This game lacks the speed or competitive feature of the present Applicant's game, wherein in each round only the player who is the first to recognize the answer to a mathematical operation problem and who has the correct answer in his or her set of cards can discard such card.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,341,779 issued to A. Merritt on Jan. 29, 2002, entitled “Mathematical Card and Dice Game”, discloses a combination dice and card game wherein a deck of cards is divided into four suits of fifteen cards each, ten being numbered 1-10 and five having one of the letters “Z”, “E”, “T”, “R”, and “E” thereon, with numerical values such as 11 through 15 being assigned to such non-numeric cards. In one game, for each player's turn, the timer is set, and the player rolls three dice. Then, he or she tries to form valid mathematical relationships based on the values of the dice, using all three dice at least once and any mathematical operations, and any cards in a player's hand having the correct answer to one of such mathematical relationships may be removed from the player's hand. For example, if the values 2, 3, and 4 are rolled, a valid relationship would be (2×3)+4=10, so if a player has a “ten” this card can be discarded. If a card is incorrectly discarded, then the incorrect card as well as a penalty card is given to the player. Similarly, if a player cannot discard a card, a penalty card is given.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,863,275 issued to Chiu et al. on Mar. 8, 2005, entitled “Matching Card Game and Method for Playing the Same”, discloses a card game wherein letters or numbers as well as a color bar are placed on individual playing cards. The cards are dealt to the players, and a visual indicia on the cards is selected to indicate a match between selected cards, whereby the matching cards may be discarded. The player who discards all of his or her cards first is declared the winner. Such game is designed to teach young children to recognize basic elements such as individual letters, numbers or colors, not more complex associations such as mathematical operations.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,220,126 issued to R. C. Glymph on May 22, 2007, entitled “Educational Mathematics Game”, discloses a math game designed to teach basic concepts involving integers, wherein the game includes a die having different math operations and instructions on its faces, a first set of “players” cards having a subset of cards numbered 1-10, and a second set of ten “blue” cards numbered 1-10. To play, each player is dealt nine “players” cards, and the “blue” cards are placed face up on a table. Then, the first player rolls the die and a math function or other instruction is indicated. Where a math function is indicated, the player must take a card from his or her hand and place it face up, and a math problem resulting from the combination of the “players” card, the “blue” card, and the math function is created. The next player in rotation must then lay down two cards that add up to the answer to such problem, or if he or she cannot a penalty card is awarded to such player. Play continues until one of the players is out of cards, which player is then considered the winner.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,243,919 issued to B. Ringuette on Jul. 17, 2007, entitled “Card Game”, discloses a method of playing a multiplication and division card game, wherein a deck of cards each having a numerical value on one face is provided. Each player is dealt a set of the cards, and the remaining cards are placed in a discard pile with the top card face up. The first designated player then selects a play card from his or her hand having a numerical value that is a multiple or divisor of the card face up on the discard pile, which card is similarly then placed face up on top of the discard pile. A draw pile is also provided from which a player must draw a card if he or she does not have a card that is a multiple or divisor of the face up card. Such game steps are repeated by the players until one player has no cards left, which player is then declared the winner.
U.S. Patent Application Publication 2006/0170162 to A. Kumar published Aug. 3, 2006, entitled “Ten0”, discloses a math card game comprised of a deck of 80 operand cards and 12 special cards. Each player is dealt five cards, and following the operands on the cards the players must add, subtract, multiply and divide with the result staying within a 0 to 100 point range.
U.S. Patent Application Publication 2007/0138745 to E. A. Duncan published Jun. 21, 2007, entitled “Educational Card Game and Related Methods of Use Therefor”, discloses a math card game comprised of a deck of cards divided into four categories of primary cards having an equal number of cards, and a fifth secondary category having a lesser number of cards. The primary cards each have a numerical value thereon, and the secondary cards are considered “wild cards”. The cards are shuffled and distributed to the players, and then to start play each player turns over one of their cards simultaneously. A mathematical rule is then applied to the numerical values revealed, and the person giving the correct result the fastest wins the round, collecting the other player's card in such round. Two wild cards are also included, which are automatically winners. Such game is an accumulation style card game, rather than a shedding style card game, although the first person with the correct answer in each round is considered the winner of such round. Various other card games using such game cards are also proposed.
U.S. Patent Application Publication 2007/0267817 to Y. Okajima published Nov. 22, 2007, entitled “Game Tool and Game Method”, discloses a mathematical game wherein a plurality of cards having numerical values or a mathematical operator on one face and an “equals” sign on the opposite face are divided into groups, and the players must create math equations using cards of the same group. A standard or rank is applied to the created equations, and the players are ranked based on such standard or rank.
U.S. Patent Application Publication 2008/0284102 to S. Mizrahi published Nov. 20, 2008, entitled “Numerical Card Games”, discloses several different card game playing methods wherein generally an arithmetic correlation between two cards is defined. A deck of cards containing numbers such as 1-100, as well as several “wild cards”, is provided. The cards may also contain markings to identify the type of number on the card, such as whether the number is a square number or prime number, as well as other markings or symbols. In general, participants attempt to discard their hand of cards in response to arithmetic correlations. In one game, each player is dealt seven cards, and a draw pile and discard pile are provided, with the top card on the discard pile being face up. During play the players can in turn discard one card from their hand if such card has at least one digit in common with the face up card on top of the discard pile, or a single digit card may be discarded upon any other single digit card. If no card is discarded, such player is given another card as a penalty. Various slightly alternative games or game rules are also disclosed.
Despite such known games, there remains a continued desire for new, different, and exciting educational games that are easy to play and interesting and entertaining. The present inventor has conceived of such a new and entertaining card game that is particularly fast moving and significantly aids in the learning of quick basic mathematical calculations, and can be played by both children and adults as well as more mature persons including mixed groups.